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Mike Coan: More buildings are getting repurposed, which is positive for the market.

Commercial developments are flourishing throughout the region, with cities like Republic and Nixa leading the way due to their focus on expansive infrastructure projects, aimed at luring global giants such as Amazon. Republic was chosen as a top expansion community by nearly 70% of participants in the Springfield Business Journal’s 2023 Economic Growth Survey. Following close behind: Nixa and Rogersville, each with over half of respondents anticipating Springfield’s expansion in those directions.

Springfield, too, is undergoing significant modifications in its infrastructure and permitting processes to better facilitate construction projects. Yet, due to a shrinking supply of available land in the city, KCI Construction Co. Project Director Mike Coan says developments are shifting.

“We are starting to see a lot more repurposing of old buildings, which is kind of fun,” he says, pointing to the Jordan Valley Community Health Center, a $12 million facility that opened in early 2023 in a remodeled Price Cutter grocery store. “That’s the kind of project I think more people are going to start to see in the region.”

And as the Economic Growth Survey reflects, looking outward could potentially provide more opportunities.

“There is still some undeveloped land in Springfield, but it’s very limited,” Coan says. “Looking toward neighboring communities like Willard and Ozark, there’s more opportunity for development.”

City government permit guidelines are among development trends, with 35% of SBJ survey respondents saying they hope to see a streamlined permit process go into effect.

The Springfield Contractors Association, Coan says, has a government liaison committee that has been instrumental in maintaining a collaborative and candid relationship between contractors and government officials. Through these efforts, the city of Springfield is working on an automated process that will help contractors know exactly which permits they need for a job. Coan says because of product shortages, waiting on permits can be costly, so expediting the process will help everyone involved.

“The city’s commitment to reducing that delivery time is fantastic,” he says.

While outside factors in the development game can be in flux, Coan points to an internal controllable: clear, transparent and collaborative communication between project owners, municipalities and contractors.

“There will always be challenges within projects, whether it’s new construction or remodel of existing structure,” Coan says. “So, a collaborative approach to find the right solutions is going to be huge for success.”

Coan says from the start, everyone involved with the project, from architects and engineers to owners, consultants, contractors and subcontractors, should be on the same team. At KCI, which often works closely on municipal projects with Missouri Department of Transportation, Coan says the team uses technology like Microsoft Teams and Project Sight, a construction management software, to keep everyone looped in. Using trusted communication tools can prevent costly and time-consuming alterations later on, he says: “The cheapest time to fix anything is when it’s still on paper.”

With nearly 50% of Economic Growth Survey respondents saying they are looking to expand to new markets, Coan has a recommendation for stakeholders: “It may seem counterintuitive, but take more time,” he says, noting projects are being rushed to completion and scaled down so tight that much of the collaboration is lost. “It can leave the door open for misses.”

Allowing ample time for detailed designs and effective collaborations, he says, can result in superior end products and optimal returns on investment.